When you notice that a dog (of any breed) wakes up with one or both moist, red or slightly squinted eyes and has a hard time closing them, it may be that this pet has a disease called conjunctivitis. This article will talk a little about conjunctivitis in dogs, its treatment and more.
canine conjunctivitis
Conjunctivitis is an inflammation of the conjunctiva of the eye. The conjunctiva is that pink tissue that has two parts, on the one hand there is that pink side that covers the eyelid on the inside, which is the one that is best known, and then there is the bulbar conjunctiva, which is the one used by the ocular eye, It has no color due to its transparency and is very thin, it is practically not perceived.
The conjunctiva is a very sensitive tissue, it gets irritated and reddens very easily, it also happens because it has very high blood supply and heals very easily.
It is surprising to see that conjunctivitis can also occur in animals and not only in humans, but it does happen frequently, so the solution is also drops. To be diagnosed, an eye exam must be done very carefully and only by someone with knowledge of the symptoms and physical aspects of the disease.
This is because it must be differentiated from the red eye that is observed in the case of other diseases such as hyperemia or conjunctival congestion. Visually it may be conjunctivitis but it may turn out to be another disease, with other internal symptoms and another treatment. This is why it is recommended that a veterinarian examine the eye to diagnose whether it is conjunctivitis or not.
Conjunctivitis is one of the most common eye conditions in dogs, its cause can be diverse: bacterial, viral or allergic and the treatment of course varies depending on each case (although the medication prescribed may be similar). Conjunctivitis is then the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the mucosa that lines the inside of the eyelids. In dogs, this may indicate that there is a local inflammation, but it can also sometimes be a much more serious disease such as respiratory problems and distemper. .
It is important to know the breed of the dog you have, in order to have precise knowledge about their care, their diet and the medications they can take. Some breeds have allergies to certain remedies or require special care, so How do I know what breed my dog is? It is essential to give it good care, to facilitate the work of veterinarians (although they can recognize them by their extensive knowledge of breeds).
Causes
The conjunctiva can be irritated by conjunctivitis, glaucoma, corneal ulcer, systemic disease, burns, chemical spills, etc. It can even be a blow that the pet has suffered or a scratch when scratching the area with its paws, it does not always have to be conjunctivitis. However, this condition can be caused by several factors that will be mentioned below.
Among the main causes of conjunctivitis we can find bacteria such as Streptococcus and Staphylococcus that accumulate in the eye and generate an infection and local inflammation. This type of conjunctivitis can be contagious for animals of the same species or for those that belong to different breeds such as German shepherds, golden retrievers, Dalmatians, etc. and symptoms can last up to three weeks.
Viruses can also cause muscle problems in animals, such as the case of the mosquito in dogs and the Calicivirus in cats. In animals, allergic conjunctivitis can also occur, which is not contagious and usually occurs seasonally when the animal has contact with the substance that triggers the allergy, sometimes animals can be allergic to a cleaning product used in the house or air fresheners and even this can be an indication that the animal may be allergic to food.
Keep in mind that the presence of foreign bodies such as dust or sand inside the eye can cause conjunctivitis, as can irritating agents such as shampoo or perfume.
Conjunctivitis symptoms
An important point to develop are the signs that the animal has this disease, the most common symptoms of conjunctivitis are: difficulty opening the affected eye, red eye, rejection of light (which can be seen when the animal tries to be in the darkest areas of the house) excessive tearing, the animal will try to scratch it, it can be with its own paw or with some surfaces that it finds in the house such as the walls, the floors and sometimes even the corners of the tables.
All this can worsen the condition when the animal scratches and a corneal ulcer is generated, this leads to the need for a different treatment and surely a new consultation with the specialist. They can also observe in the animal that its eye has a greenish or yellowish appearance.
Each of these symptoms are visual and can be detected when analyzing the animal, however the pet may have pain in the area, so it is recommended that the animal's condition is always observed to detect any problem quickly.
Types of conjunctivitis
There are two types, acute and chronic: the acute ones appear suddenly and last a few days, generally between one or two weeks, or be more chronic and serious and last more than two weeks depending on what caused them. These can be accompanied by different degrees of eye discharge from a little whining and always have a moist eye area, tearing with mucus, a purulent appearance of the eye, either green or yellowish, hemorrhagic tearing, or simply last for many days with these symptoms already This is reason to suspect conjunctivitis.
When the dog wakes up with a dry tear in the eye, it is normal, it is not conjunctivitis or a problem, it is simply the tear that dehydrates and the mucous remains are stuck there and that can be removed with sterilized gauze. When this situation is more humid, it is synonymous with research. In addition to that, conjunctivitis can be primary or secondary, if it is primary it is caused by a bacterium or a virus, while the secondary is caused by a pathology such as distemper or an injury, such as a spike.
In dogs, more or less in 40%, conjunctivitis is usually primary, that is, there in the conjunctiva is a bacterium or a virus that is causing the damage and being the main focus of the problem. In 60%, they are usually secondary: they tend to have dry eyes since the animal does not produce tears that keep the eye and the conjunctiva lubricated and working properly, therefore it dries up. It may also be due to the production of follicles, small dots that cause this damage at the level of the conjunctiva.
It may also be that he has the eyelid attraction condition, there are dogs that have a very large eyelid and therefore it hangs down a little and when they close their eyes or blink, the eye does not bathe or tear properly and therefore there is dryness or secretions. Another cause is that a foreign body or object that has entered between the eyelid and the eyeball caused the irritation.
Finally, as indicated above, conjunctivitis in dogs can be caused by intoxication or by a chemical product that can cause irritation at the level of the conjunctiva.
As can be seen, the reasons or suspicions are too many when the animal is being treated or is going to be checked, so an examination by the veterinarian is important. So that the selection of treatment is chosen and carried out carefully and correctly, after having analyzed all the possible primary or secondary causes that can produce this type of inflammation in the conjunctiva. Once the veterinarian has checked the animal and determined the cause, they usually prescribe a topical treatment, it can be eye drops or cream.
Just as you can see that puppies and adults can have conjunctivitis, it is possible that they have any type of skin diseases in dogs and various types of diseases that need to be treated and known about their symptoms, in order to extend the life of pets and give them the care they need. Clearly this is a responsibility that is acquired by having a dog, a cat or any other type of animal that has been adopted or acquired to have at home, protect and keep company.
Treatment application
After the diagnosis of conjunctivitis in dogs, the medications for conjunctivitis or the use of eye drops is recommended. Its application is not really difficult, it is not recommended to put two or three drops because when the animal blinks it could expel or throw away at least one of them, that is why it is indicated that only one drop per eye should be taken at various time intervals. The eyelid does not stretch downwards, the correct way is to stretch the upper eyelid upwards and then drop the drop, paying attention to whether it actually entered the eye.
For many eye disorders it is good to have cold eye drops, because apart from the treatment itself (antibiotics, corticosteroids, etc.) we provide the effect of relaxation in the animal, this will provide comfort and help reduce the stinging and itching that may be felt. .
On the other hand, if the treatment is generated in the form of an ointment, it cannot be applied with the fingers so as not to contaminate the area, it is recommended to use matches or swabs and just put a little ointment on the tip, something similar to a grain of rice , and as the animal blinks little by little, the ointment will work.
Regardless of the treatment, the use of the Elizabethan collar is also super important and necessary for the treatment to be much more effective since this disease requires time to be cured, in this recovery process the animal could have the sensation of wanting to scratch itself with their paws or even the wall, curtains or sofa, because it itches and bothers them. If this were to happen, it could get worse and take longer to recover, apart from the fact that an ulcer or swelling may appear, which would further complicate your condition.
For nothing in the world should a human eye drop be used in dogs, first, because it is not known what it contains in its entirety and self-medicating without knowing or having a prognosis the only thing you can do is worsen the animal's condition. Second, the chemicals in human eye drops are a bit stronger and more concentrated than those made for dogs, so this could harm your pet's health. This applies not only with eye drops but with a large part of the medicines for animals.
The treatment of conjunctivitis will depend on the cause, however when any of the symptoms mentioned above are observed in the pet, cleaning can be carried out and the secretion that is produced can be removed, with artificial tears or physiological saline and evaluate if there is presence of foreign bodies, however, the final examination and the complete examination of the eye will be done directly by a veterinarian.
The drops or ointments that are used in the eyes of animals should always be prescribed by your veterinarian, since sometimes we can very easily find products or ointment drops that have antibiotics but also have corticosteroids. Corticosteroids are extremely useful in cases of allergic conjunctivitis but can cause a lot of damage when there is a corneal ulcer. When there is an ulcer, even the symptoms can be the same as those of simple conjunctivitis, the only way to rule it out is with the fluorescence test done by the veterinarian.
When applying any type of drop or ointment inside the eye, avoid touching the eye with the applicator, as this can cause trauma injuries to the animal's eye and will additionally contaminate the product inside the bottle. If the animal is observed with any of the symptoms mentioned or that the dog tries to scratch its eye, the first thing to do is place an Elizabethan collar to prevent it from worsening the injury and after this be taken to the veterinarian.
How to cure or remedy conjunctivitis in dogs?
There are those who opt for eyewash in the first instance, it is necessary to proceed to completely wash the animal's eye and for that it can be with physiological solution or better still some specific product for eyewash, what is usually used is a product that have antiseptic and decongestant effect. To wash the animal's eye, 5 to 6 drops of eyewash should be placed, then the animal's eyelids should be closed and massaged a little so that finally the eye should be dried with a clean gauze.
The second step that is usually carried out is to place an eye drop with antibiotics, the most effective eye drops to cure canine conjunctivitis are those that contain the antibiotic Gentamicin in their formulation, there are many products on the veterinary market that contain Gentamicin. It is recommended one that is a very powerful bactericide and that contains the mentioned antibiotic. Two drops of eye drops should be applied to each eye (one drop first and another one or two minutes later), every 12 hours for a period of 7 to 10 days.
What is the difference between a corneal ulcer and conjunctivitis or eye infection?
The corneal ulcer is a wound that occurs in the lens of the eye as if a glass had been scratched and can cause a hole, it can be the scratch of a cat directly in the eye, or that a pebble has entered the eye . While conjunctivitis or eye infection can be caused by bacteria, weather infections, presence of elements such as sand, etc.